Friday, November 22, 2013

Botanical Doppelgängers

I've heard it said that everyone has a doppelgänger, a virtual double who may be mistaken for the original.  In fact, a couple of weeks ago, as I was flying through the supermarket, a guy I didn't recognize called to me.  I thought he'd addressed me by name so I stopped.  When I greeted him with a hello and a confused look, he introduced himself as Bob Someone, my former neighbor in San Pedro.  But I've never lived in San Pedro.  I subsequently learned that he'd called me "Pris," not Kris - the name similarity had contributed to my confusion, if not to his.  In any case, he claimed that I have a near double somewhere here in the South Bay.

The existence of botanical doppelgängers was raised by readers of my recent blog post on Erysimum linifolium 'Variegatum.'  I posted a picture of this:

Erysimum linifolium 'Variegatum' in my back garden



And a few people commented that they initially mistook it as variegated Euphorbia like this:

Euphorbia 'Ascot Rainbow' in a pot on my back patio


The foliage form and coloration is similar.  Clearly, these are the elements that drew me to both plants.

I started to wonder if I had other doppelgängers in my garden.  Discounting plants in the same genus, the only other pair that came remotely close were Arthropodium cirratum and Beschorneria yuccoides.  The former is also known as Renga Lily while the latter is commonly known as Mexican Lily.  My Beschorneria is still a relatively young plant but the similarities are more apparent when the Arthropodium is compared to a more mature Beschorneria.

Mature Arthropodium cirratum in the border on the southeast side border


Relatively new Beschorneria yuccoides in the dry garden

Wikipedia's image of mature Beschorneria yuccoides


Do you have any doppelgängers lurking in your garden?


12 comments:

  1. Funny I thought the Erysimum reminded me of Carex phyllocephala 'Sparkler' or Sparkler Sedge!

    Certainly the yuccas qualify as they can certainly look similar. The one I sometimes confuse in my garden are the Crinum and Amaryllis.

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    1. You reminded me that I recently found a Crinium at the nursery that looked very much like my Cordyline 'Renegade.' There really are a lot of doppelgangers out there.

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  2. We rely on dopelgangers to create that exotic look in the garden using hardier plants :)

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    1. Wouldn't it be great to have an inventory of substitutes suitable for different climatic conditions? Andrew Keys wrote a book on alternatives to "problem" plants but substitutions based on cultural conditions would also be helpful.

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  3. I agree with Mark and Gaz, in fact I did a Bloomday post on this subject years back, I'll have to look it up tomorrow when I'm using the laptop not the iPad. Fun!

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    1. I'm always on the look out for look-alikes for herbaceous peonies, tulips, etc. that don't like our zone. My fingers are crossed that the Itoh peony fulfills my 1st wish by coming back next spring.

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  4. Vilka vackra växter!!!
    Tänk om det fanns några härdiga dubbelgångare till dom som kunde trivas i vårat klimat.
    Hälsningar
    Mariana

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    1. Yes, I think we could all use a book with doppelgangers listed for each climate!

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  5. A lot of my bromeliads with white variegation would count. Nice post.
    I also have 4 or 5 garden doppelgangers around the world. My closest 'similar' garden is in Townsend, Australia. We have almost identical tastes in plants. I've got 2 or 3 in central Florida as well and one doppelganger in England that loves tropical plants as much as I do. Do you have any 'garden' doppelgangers?
    David/:0)

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    1. I should probably look to Australia or south Africa for garden doppelgangers too, David. I've certainly found overlaps in selected plant choices among American bloggers.

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  6. The closest I could come up with from my own garden would be Brunnera Macrophylla (Variagated) and Lamium White Nancy or Silver Beacon. Leaf size is quite different but very similar colourings.
    Great topic Kris - you've got me thinking now :)

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    1. I can see the similarities in the Lamium and Brunnera you mention, Angie. I think the elements we find pleasing in 1 plant can unconsciously lead us to similar plants.

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